Baby jumper with safety-type suspension



p 1968 P. WRIGGLESWORTH 3,401,973

BABY JUMPER WITH SAFETY-TYPE SUSPENSION Filed Dec. 9, 1966 United States Patent ()fice 3,401,978 BABY JUMPER WITH SAFETY-TYPE SUSPENSION Patricia Wrigglesworth, Spellowgate, Driiiield, Yorkshire, England Filed Dec. 9, 1966, Ser. No. 600,566 Claims priority, application Great Britain, May 27, 1966,

2 Claims. (Cl. 297-274) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A safety-type resilient extensible tension member for use with -a conventional baby jumper or exercizer for infants. The tension member of the baby jumper is formed of an elastomeric material, such as rubber, and comprises solid ends interconnected by separate reaches or tension elements integrally formed of the same material. Either one of the reaches is capable of separately and independently supporting the full load of the seat or body supporting portion together with the infant in the event of failure of the other reach. Securing means such as hook or eye members are molded into the solid ends and the configuration of the solid ends merges smoothly into the two laterally spaced separate tension elements.

This invention relates to safety-type resilient suspension for childrens exercisers such as are commonly termed Baby Jumpers, and comprise a resilient tension member formed as a rubber rod with eye type connector elements at its ends. One of these eye elements is connected to a length of chain engageable with a hook or like fixed support and the other is connected to a swivel spring clip, or with cords connected to, a spreader bar from which is suspended a harness comprising a body belt and crotch strap, the chain serving to adjust the height of the spreader and harness so that a young child supported by the harness may just touch the ground with his feet and may jump up and down as permitted by the elasticity of the rubber rod tension member.

The known rubber rod types of tension members or extenders are relatively massive to take the weight of the child without risk of breaking but with prolonged use and repeated stretching, and due possibly to perishing of the rubber, there is possibility of a rupture or crack occurring in the middle portion of the rod which will in time lead to failure of the tension member. Prior to complete failure in tension, such rupture or cracking is difficult to notice, particularly when not under tension, and the tension member might fail while in use so that the child would fall and might be hurt.

The safety-type resilient tension member of the present invention provides a plurality of separate tension elements each of sufficient load capacity for operation independently during failure of any other tension element.

The invention will be described in greater detail in the following specification with reference to the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a baby jumper embodying the invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged front elevational view of the tension member used in the baby jumper of FIG. 1.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the tension member shown in FIG. 2.

FIGURE 4 is a transverse sectional view of one of the solid end portions of the tension member taken along the line IVIV of FIG. 2.

3,401,978 Patented Sept. 17, 1968 FIGURE 5 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line VV of FIG. 2, showing the tension elements merging into the upper solid end portion.

FIGURE 6 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line VIVI of FIG. 2, showing two laterally spaced tension elements.

Referring to FIG. 1, a baby jumper is shown which, except for the tension member illustrated in detail in FIGS. 2 through 6, is conventional in all respects. A fixed support, such as a beam 10, is provided with a depending hook 11. A chain 12 is engaged in the hook 10 and the position of its ends may be adjusted by engaging a desired one of its links in the hook 11. The tension member of the .present invention is designated generally as 13 and comprises a connector eye 3 at its upper end which is engaged with an end link of the chain 12. The lower connector eye 4 of the tension member 13 is engaged with a swivel member 14 which is connected to spreader structure 15. A seat 16 is connected by cords 17 to the spreader 15. The seat 16 is preferably of the harness type which comprises a belt and crotch strap. The height of the seat or harness 16 is so adjusted by the chain 12 and hook 11 that the feet 18 of an infant 19 will just touch the ground 20 when the seat 16 is stationary. By exerting intermittent downward pressure of its feet 18 on the ground 20, the infant 19 may repeatedly bounce the seat 16 at a repetition rate having natural period determined, in part, by the weight of the infant 19 and, also in part, by the resiliency of the tension member 13.

The tension member 13 which is illustrated in detail in FIGS. 2 through 6 is a one-piece or unitary, preferably molded, article formed of natural or artificial rubber and comprises circular-section solid end portions 1, 2 in which are embedded the shanks of metallic end fittings which, beyond the ends of the portions 1, 2 are formed into rings or eyes 3, 4 respectively. The end portions 1, 2 merge smoothly into two laterally spaced intermediate reaches or separate tension elements 5, 6 (see also FIG. 6) through grooved junction portions 7, 8 (see also FIG. 5) and the arrangement is such that a load on the extender 13 applied through the eye 4 to the end portion 2 is transmitted through the intermediate tension elements 5, 6 to the other end portion 1 and thence to the other eye 3. The shape of the tension member 13 is symmetrical about a central transverse axis so that either eye (3 or 4) may be connected to the adjustable length suspension chain 12 while the other eye is connected to a swivel spring clip or the like 14 to which are connected the spreader 15 and suspending cords 17 or the like of the harness or seat 16. Stretching of the tension member 13 due to applied loads caused by the child 19 in the harness 16 jumping up and down occurs mainly in the two intermediate portions or tension elements 5, 6 and any rupture or other failure will normally occur only in one or other of the elements 5, 6. Each of the separate tension elements 5, 6 has a load capacity sufiicient for operation independently during failure of the other element. Accordingly, the other tension element 5 or 6 will remain intact and will continue to support the child 19 in the harness 16, but with a noticeably greater elongation which will immediately draw attention to the broken tension element 5 or 6 before complete failure of the tension member 13 has occurred.

The tension member 13 which is illustrated is substantially equal in load supporting capacity to a solid tension member of a diameter substantially equal to that of the end portions 1, 2 and has a somewhat greater degree of elasticity or stretchability, which makes it eminently suitable for its intended purpose in addition to the safety feature which it provides.

3 While I have shown and described what I believe to be the best embodiments of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim: 1. In an exerciser for infants, of the type which com prises fixed supporting means; body supporting means for holding an infant with its legs free for downward pressing engagement with the ground; an elongated resilient tension member connecting said body supporting means to said fixed supporting means, said tension member being formed of elastomeric material and having effectively rigid end portions; and securing means included in each of said end portions for connection to said fixed supporting means and to said body supporting means, respectively; the improvement which comprises the provision of a configuration for said member intermediate said end portions which divides said member into a plurality of separate tension elements each having a load capacity sufficient for operation independently during failure of any other tension element, whereby said member will continue to support said body supporting means during failure of one of said elements.

2. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein said configuration divides said tension member into two laterally spaced parallel reaches symmetrically arranged at opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of said tension member, each of said reaches constituting one of said tension elements, said'configuration smoothly merging the ends of said reaches into said end portions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 472,351 5/1892 Higham 297-277 483,270 9/1892 Tothill 297--276 703,458 7/1902 Perkins 297-276 1,057,360 3/1913 Patten 297274 FOREIGN PATENTS 679,352 2/ 1964 Canada.

BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner.

G. O. FINCH, Assistant Examiner. 

